Sketching Snake: The Art Of Yoji Shinkawa

As the man guiding the series since its inception, the name Hideo Kojima is synonymous with Metal Gear. However, starting with 1998's Metal Gear Solid, art director Yoji Shinkawa is one of the most important and consistent elements of the beloved series. His bold illustrations define the look of Metal Gear Solid's mechanical and character designs and his direction of the in-game art has helped each entry stand heads and shoulders above its competition. While visiting Kojima Productions for our March cover story on Metal Gear Solid V, I spoke with Shinkawa about his history and process with the help of the studio's translator.

Watch the video interview below to learn more about the earliest days of creating Metal Gear Solid, designing classic characters like The Boss and the Cyborg Ninja, and the difficulty of designing The Phantom Pain's open world.

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